If you’re like many of us, your feet can be a source of frustration. They can feel itchy and sometimes uncomfortable, preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Fortunately, there are ways to keep your feet warm at night and promote sleep. Here are five tips that you can try to help your feet stay cozy.
- Moisturize
According to KniseWorks, your feet are particularly susceptible to dryness, as they lack oil glands that help keep the skin soft and supple. They rely on sweat glands for moisture, which can become depleted during the colder months, leading to cracked and peeling feet.
If your feet are feeling particularly dry, you may need to apply a heavy moisturizer to them at night to help lock in the moisture. Try foot cream, a thick moisturizer, or a thin layer of petroleum jelly before bed.
Make sure the moisturizer you use is suitable for your skin type. Avoid lotions that contain alcohol, added fragrances, and artificial colors, as they can exacerbate dry skin.
You can also try a warm bath to soothe irritated or sore feet. Lemon juice can be added to the water for an exfoliating soak, leaving your feet feeling smooth and refreshed.
Another good option is to add a few drops of cypress or wintergreen essential oil to the water for an antiseptic and hydrating soak that can help relieve pain, redness, and soreness.
Finally, a pumice stone can help remove dead skin and smooth the surface of your feet to prevent new dry skin from forming. You can purchase these in drugstores or pick them up online.
Before you go to bed, wash your feet with mild soap. Using harsh soap can cause irritation to the skin and can strip away much-needed moisture from your feet.
After you’ve rinsed your feet, gently massage a thick layer of foot cream or a moisturizing gel into your feet. It’s a good idea to apply this before going to sleep and then slip on a pair of cotton socks that will help the moisturizer work overnight.
If you’re suffering from extremely dry skin, try a foot moisturizer that contains emollients such as dimethicone or humectants such as octyldodecanol that act as occlusives to seal in moisture.
You can also try a moisturizer that contains lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, or urea. These ingredients are more effective at softening and moisturizing dry, rough feet than ordinary lotions.
- Socks
When it comes to getting a good night’s rest, sleep hygiene is one of the best ways to ensure that you feel well-rested in the morning. Whether it’s making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet, not using a laptop or phone before bed, avoiding screen time, or just a regular sleep-wake schedule, this is an important part of your overall health regimen.
You can do all of this in the comfort of your own home, and it’s easy and convenient to make a few small changes that will help you get a better night’s sleep. If you’re a hot sleeper, for example, wearing socks to bed can help you stay cool and cozy while trying to snooze.
The science behind wearing socks to bed is pretty simple: They thaw your feet, which opens up the blood vessels in those areas, resulting in increased blood flow. This increases your body’s ability to regulate its core temperature so that you can fall asleep more easily and stay comfortable throughout the night, says behavioral sleep disorders specialist Michelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM.
However, she cautions that sleeping with socks on won’t be the magical solution to your sleep woes. If you have significant sleep problems, it’s best to make other changes to your sleep habits before attempting to add them to the mix.
If you don’t like the idea of putting your socks on before you go to bed, you can try adding some extra warmth to your feet by taking a warm bath before you head to bed. It’s also a great way to relax, according to the National Sleep Foundation, and can reduce pain and discomfort that may be keeping you up.
You can also opt for a pair of socks that are specially designed to keep your feet warm. These socks come in a variety of styles and colors, so you can find something that fits your personal taste and lifestyle.
Regardless of how you wear your socks at night, it’s a good idea to look for a pair made with high-quality materials, such as breathable cotton or bamboo. A pair of too-tight socks can restrict blood flow and cause itchiness, so looking for ones that fit comfortably and are soft and smooth against your skin is best.
- Massage
You can sometimes feel tense and uncomfortable when you’re getting ready for bed. That can make it hard to relax enough to sleep. You may even find yourself tossing and turning a few times before you’re finally relaxed enough to get a good night’s rest.
One of the best ways to reduce this tension before you go to sleep is to massage your feet. It not only promotes relaxation but can also help you fall asleep easier and sleep longer.
Foot massage has many benefits, but it’s especially useful for those with health issues that can impact circulation or nerve damage, like diabetes. The oil used for the massage can also relieve pain or inflammation from arthritis, sprains, and other injuries.
A regular foot massage can also help you relax and de-stress, according to Michele Merkas, a licensed reflexologist in New York City. She suggests massaging your heels, ball of the foot, and toes in small circles, starting at the balls of your feet. You can add a few drops of oil for added moisture.
She says this type of massage helps with anxiety, as it can stimulate acupressure points in your feet and other parts of your body. These reflex points have been shown to lower stress, improve sleep, and ease depression.
While you’re doing your foot massage, take a few deep breaths to encourage circulation. This will increase oxygen and blood flow to the muscles, essential for reducing aches or pains and helping you relax.
You can also use a foam roller or tennis ball to roll your feet as you massage them, which will encourage muscle recovery. This will also help you stretch the intrinsic muscles in your feet, which are key for supporting the weight of your body and keeping your balance during exercise.
You can do this simple massage at any time of the day, but it’s especially effective before you go to sleep. A foot massage can help you fall asleep quicker and give you more energy throughout the day if you do it regularly.
- Warm Bath
Taking a warm bath before bed can help you drift off to sleep faster and have a better, more restful night’s sleep. It also helps de-stress, improves mental health, and hydrates skin.
To get the most benefit from your bath, take it at least one hour before bed. This gives your body time to complete its cooldown cycle, which is important for a good night’s sleep.
A study found that people who took a warm bath before bedtime fell asleep more quickly and experienced greater sleep quality than those who did not. This is because the water helps to stimulate blood flow to the hands and feet, allowing body heat to escape more easily.
The warm temperature can also help ease muscle tension and pain, so it’s a great way to relax after a tough workout. A study found that taking a hot bath post-workout reduced muscle soreness by up to 47%.
It can also boost your immune system by promoting healthy circulation. The steam generated in a warm bath can clear your nasal passages and chest, helping to fight colds.
Moreover, a warm bath can aid digestion by increasing the speed of food movement through your digestive tract. It can also relieve constipation by easing your intestinal movements and improving blood flow in the digestive tract.
A warm bath also nourishes your skin and eyes. Adding a few drops of olive oil, eucalyptus oil, or tea tree oil to your bath can boost your skin’s hydration and soothe dry eyes and skin.
While taking a bath can be beneficial for your overall health, it’s important to remember that it can dry your skin, so don’t stay in the water for too long, or your skin will become dry and irritated.
In addition, if you’re suffering from any health concerns such as high cholesterol or diabetes, it’s best to avoid taking a hot bath because it can cause increased heart rate and strain on the blood vessels.
